MLB Player News
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Ozzie Albies 2B | ATL
Braves' Ozzie Albies: Reassigned to minor league camp
Albies was reassigned to minor league camp Tuesday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
After a very impressive, if short, spring training stint with the Braves, Albies will begin the season at Triple-A Gwinnett and look to improve on last season's .248/.307/.351 line. While the 20-year-old would seem to be blocked at the major league level by Brandon Phillips, the Braves are only on the hook for $1 million of Phillips' 2017 salary. Once the front office decides Albies is ready and has delayed the start of his service time clock sufficiently to ensure an extra year of control, expect the organization's No. 4 prospect to get the call.
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Darnell Sweeney 2B | TOR
Dodgers' Darnell Sweeney: Sent to minors
Sweeney was assigned to the minors Tuesday, The Orange County Register reports.
The 26-year-old was acquired by the Dodgers this past offseason, but he was never considered a candidate to make the Opening Day roster. The utility man performed well in camp, batting .297 with a pair of home runs in 21 Cactus League games. He will likely start the year with Triple-A Oklahoma City and could get a call to the majors if injuries strike the big-league club.
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Yangervis Solarte 2B | SD
Padres' Yangervis Solarte: Returns to team from WBC
Solarte was back in the Padres lineup Monday, going 1-for-3 in a win over the Rangers.
The 29-year-old was participating in the World Baseball Classic for Team Venezuela. Manager Andy Green expressed concerns that his infielder wasn't receiving enough playing time in the tournament (3-for-6 in five games), so it would make sense for Solarte to see regular at-bats in the final couple weeks of spring training to get back up to speed with his teammates. The switch-hitting infielder had a career year last season, hitting .286 with 15 home runs and 71 RBI in 443 plate appearances. Assuming good health, he should easily surpass 500 plate appearances as an everyday player and gain second base eligibility (if he didn't already possess it), making him a potentially undervalued asset.
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Ozzie Albies 2B | ATL
Braves' Ozzie Albies: Injury not serious
Manager Brian Snitker confirmed that Albies is not seriously injured after fouling a ball off his knee during Tuesday's spring game, David O'Brien of AJC.com reports.
Snitker also said he believes Albies could be ready to play after the team's off day on Wednesday, so it doesn't appear to be more than just a knock. The 20-year-old will begin the season at Triple-A Gwinnett, but he has a good chance to crack the big leagues with his talent and advanced feel for hitting.
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Ozzie Albies 2B | ATL
Braves' Ozzie Albies: Fouls ball off knee
Albies exited Tuesday's spring game after apparently fouling a ball off his knee, David O'Brien of AJC.com reports.
Albies tried to shake it off and continue his at-bat, but he had to exit after seeing a couple pitches. There is no word on his condition yet, so consider him day-to-day until the Braves update his status.
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Isan Diaz 2B | DET
Brewers' Isan Diaz: Impressing with big club this spring
Diaz is 6-for-11 (.545) with a home run, three doubles and four RBI in six spring games with the Brewers.
Diaz reached the Low-A level last year for the first time and will likely open this season with High-A Carolina, but that did not prevent the Brewers from letting him show what he can do with the big club this spring, and he's responded in impressive fashion. The Brewers can be patient with him thanks to the middle-infield depth at the top levels of their system, but he could push his way up the ranks quicker than expected if he keeps hitting like he has this spring and like he did in 2016, when he posted an .827 OPS over 135 games with Wisconsin.
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Christian Arroyo 2B | NYM
Giants' Christian Arroyo: Sent to minor league camp
Arroyo was optioned to the minors Sunday, CSN Bay Area reports.
Arroyo left major league camp with a bang, smacking a two-run home run in a loss to the Brewers. The Giants want to give their top hitting prospect regular plate appearances in the minors, as opposed to seeing sporadic time as a bench bat behind Eduardo Nunez, so this move was to be expected. The 21-year-old has progressed well since being drafted out of high school back in 2013. Arroyo may still be a year or two away from a regular role, but he projects to be San Francisco's third baseman of the future.
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Ozzie Albies 2B | ATL
Braves' Ozzie Albies: Swipes first spring base Friday
Albies got the start at second base and hit leadoff in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros, going 1-for-2 with a walk and his first stolen base of the spring.
His late start to the exhibition schedule while he recovered from last season's broken elbow hasn't phased him at all, as Albies is hitting .364 with a .533 OBP in 11 at-bats, walking three times without striking out, and Friday's hit came off 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel. Albies just turned 20 in January and will begin the season with Triple-A Gwinnett, but given his talent and advanced feel for hitting, don't expect him to end it there.
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Christopher Bostick 2B | PIT
Pirates' Chris Bostick: Sent to Triple-A
Bostick was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
The 23-year-old was acquired from the Phillies last year after he was designated for assignment. He's hitting well in spring, slashing .304/.467/.478 in 23 at-bats so far, but the Pirates are too deep at second base for Bostick to threaten the lineup, so he'll likely spend the year at Triple-A.
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Chesny Young 2B | CHC
Cubs' Chesny Young: Moved to minors
Young was reassigned to minor league camp Friday, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Young has continued to impress with his bat this spring, slashing .364/.391/.500 in 30 at-bats so far, but with the likes of Addison Russell and Javier Baez blocking him at the major league level, it seems he'll likely spend the year at Triple-A Iowa.